Points Race - Description and Tactics

Description and Tactics

This race can be one of the more confusing races to watch for less familiar viewers. Put simply this is a race over a long distance, usually 120–160 laps for men and women in major events and will take something in the region of 40 minutes. A sprint is held every ten laps, with 5, 3, 2, and 1 points being awarded to the top four finishers in each sprint. The winner of the race is the one to have the most points at the end of the race. In addition to the sprints, any riders managing to lap the main field is awarded an extra 20 points. This is therefore a popular way of gaining the points required to win the race and leads to many such attempts to gain a lap during the race.

Different tactics can be employed to try and win the race. Some riders may sit back in the main bunch conserving energy, only attacking for the sprints to gain points. Other riders may attempt to gain the lap early on in the race and try and defend the advantage. The most common breakaways seen in the points race are groups of two to five riders, sharing the work to enable them to gain a lap. Although it is a difficult feat to gain the lap on your own, it is not uncommon for the top riders to be able to do this in order to win the race.

At the Olympic Games and World Championships qualification is determined by performance at the World Cup Classics events throughout the season. At the World Cup Classics meetings there are usually two heats taking place to decide qualification for the final. These are commonly half the race distance of the final.